Which to use
“schmal” is an adjective and “sechsmal” is a num - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #12,375
- “schmal” frequency rank
- #26,164
- “sechsmal” frequency rank
- 38539
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | schmal | sechsmal |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | wenig breit, keine große Ausdehnung in der Breite aufweisend | mit sechs vervielfacht; fünfmal und ein weiteres Mal; sechsfach vorgekommen, durchgeführt |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set schmal and sechsmal apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: schmal is [ʃmaːl] while sechsmal is [ˈzɛksmaːl]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs num), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38539, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
schmal is recorded at frequency rank #12,375, classified as anadj, pronounced [ʃmaːl]. sechsmal is at rank #26,164, tagged as anum, pronounced [ˈzɛksmaːl].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 38539, this pair ranks #1,561,282 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of schmal vs sechsmal
Shared letters: achlms. Private to "schmal": -. Private to "sechsmal": e.
"schmal" · 6 letters · shape CCCCVC · "sechsmal" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "schmal" and "sechsmal" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "schmal" or "sechsmal"?
Remembering schmal vs sechsmal
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “schmal”; for a num, it's “sechsmal”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “schmal” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable